GE Technology to Recycle Produced Water at Italian Oil Field

This will be the first application of GE produced water treatment in Europe

The crude oil production site at the Tempa Rossa oil field in Corleto Perticara, in the Basilicata region of southern Italy, will use GE’s advanced evaporator and zero liquid discharge (ZLD) technology to recycle up to 98% of produced water. Total E&P Italia S.p.A. has six wells in the Tempa Rossa oil field, and GE will provide the technology to engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor Maire Tecnimont S.p.A, which is overseeing the development of the project for Total E&P Italia. This announcement was made during IFAT Entsorga 2014 in Munich.

The Tempa Rossa project, along with the nearby Val d’Agri oil field, will create enough oil to meet approximately 10% of Italian oil needs.

The execution of the work will comply with the most severe requirements in terms of health, safety and environment for a facility of this nature in Italy. The Tempa Rossa oil field needed an energy-efficient solution to treat the water and meet stringent discharge regulations, and GE’s technology was deemed the best technology for recycling water at this facility.

The project marks the first application of GE-produced water treatment in Europe. When producing crude oil, the water that is pumped as a byproduct is called produced water. Oil wells can produce enormous quantities of water, and this produced water needs to be treated or hauled away from the site. At the Tempa Rossa oil field, GE’s ZLD crystallizers will demineralize the produced water, which will be available for firefighting. The remaining brine will be concentrated into solid salt crystals for disposal. The ZLD technology will enable Maire Tecnimont SpA to meet new national environmental regulations governing water discharge.

GE will provide two identical produced water treatment units including de-oiling, forced circulation brine concentration, evaporation and crystallization for ZLD. GE’s multiple-effect steam-driven units will be used for concentration and crystallization. Vapors generated during the evaporation process are condensed in GE energy air condensers and air coolers to meet the required temperature for demineralized water production and firefighting reuse.

The technology will treat up to 52 cu meters per hour of feed water per line and will be able to recover up to 98% of produced water as distillate and solids. The delivery is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2015 with installation by the third quarter of 2015.

“Marie Tecnimont’s technical expertise and know-how in similar projects around the world was crucial for the development of this project. We’re pleased that our innovative water treatment technologies will be used to recycle its produced water, enabling compliance with strict water reuse regulations and a reduction in operational costs associated with water consumption,” said Yuvbir Singh, general manager, engineered systems—water and process technologies for GE Power & Water. “Once Maire Tecnimont installs the GE evaporation technology for the Tempa Rossa oil field, it will represent the first application of our produced water treatment in Europe.”